There are many kinds of organic chlorine compounds. However, various problems have been pointed out on those compounds from an environmental viewpoint or a health viewpoint, and an effective decomposition treatment method has been craved.
Waste water or wash solution to be discharged from various business facilities including a high-tech plant is often contaminated with an organic chlorine compound such as trichloroethylene or an organic fluorine compound such as a fluorine-based surfactant or a fluorine-based lubricant. There has been a concern about an environmental problem such as soil contamination or groundwater contamination caused by an organic halogen compound contained in the waste water or wash solution. Further, it has been pointed out that such organic halogen compound may cause central nervous system damage or liver dysfunction. In addition, a fluorinated hydrocarbon has been pointed out as a substance responsible for ozone layer destruction, and detoxification of such substance has also been an issue.
PCB was used as an electrical insulating oil (transformer oil) of a transformer in the past, but its use has been prohibited since its toxicity was recognized. Previously used PCB is collectively stored in a predetermined place.
PCB has partly been treated by a combustion method, but its detoxification is not always easy at present.
In addition, polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDDs) are collectively called dioxins. The dioxins are compounds each having a structure in which two benzene nuclei are bonded to each other through oxygen, and there are many kinds of dioxins in which the number of chlorines bonded to the benzene nuclei and its bonding position are different. The dioxins are compounds having toxicity generated from a garbage incinerator or the like.